The SNP leadership has been apprised of Gordon Brown's plans for constitutional reform, which will be revealed to MPs in the House of Commons later this week.

At a ground-breaking meeting in Edinburgh on Saturday between Des Browne, the Scottish Secretary, Angus Robertson, the SNP's Westminster leader, and First Minister Alex Salmond, steps were taken to improve the working relationship between Holyrood and London.

As the first shoots of the new relationship between the UK government and the devolved administration began to emerge, Mr Browne let it be known that both he and the Prime Minister were keen to ensure the SNP leadership knew what constitutional changes the government had in mind.

Mr Browne said: "From the outset I have made it clear that I want a constructive and productive relationship with the Scottish Executive. I intend to make sure that the UK government keeps the First Minister up to speed with events that affect Scotland and the Scottish people."

In a break with his predecessor, the Prime Minister yesterday hailed the end of "sofa government" - the style allegedly adopted by Tony Blair - and trumpeted the advent of "cabinet government". Speaking on the BBC's Sunday AM programme, he argued that as well as the cabinet and ministers being involved in decisions, so too had others, irrespective of their political persuasions.

He said: "I think people want to know how you're going to approach the making of decisions. And I think people know now that we had a very long discussion at our first full cabinet meeting about the constitution that involved every single member of the cabinet. So this is not what some people call sofa government. It is cabinet government.

"I think the second thing people will see - whether it's terrorism or security or an economic issue or the health service - (is that) we will try to recruit the best people irrespective of party label, irrespective of previous political persuasions, irrespective of what they've said before about this or that, because I want the best people."

The Prime Minister intended to unveil radical plans for constitutional change today, but that statement will be delayed until later in the week. He will, instead, make a statement on national security. In another Whitehall departure, Chancellor Alistair Darling has toldsenior staff in the Treasury that they will play a major role across government, in particular on climate change, welfare reform, housing, welfare-to-work and debt relief.